


Not According to Plan

by YellowBananaOwl



Category: John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-30
Updated: 2016-01-30
Packaged: 2018-05-17 05:01:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5855149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YellowBananaOwl/pseuds/YellowBananaOwl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Manager is trying to plan a surprise party for his Driver.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not According to Plan

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BiancaIcaras](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BiancaIcaras/gifts).



> Characters belong to John Finnemore.

”You need to go, you’ll be late!” The Manager pushed the Driver away from him, but the Driver clung to his body and whined.

 

”You can’t force me.”

 

”I can’t,” admitted the Manager. ”But if you don’t go, you’ll be at trouble at work, and you can kiss our holiday plans goodbye. You don’t want to miss out on the amazing bullet train, do you?”

 

”No, but I want to stay in bed with you all day.”

 

”I’d like nothing more than that either, love, but you have to work. And it’s only a short shift, you’ll be back before you know it.”

 

”Why do you have the day off and I don’t?” said the Driver and moaned. ”It’s not fair that we couldn’t keep our schedules coordinated. This is an epic fail in planning!”

 

”I know, love, but you’re needed. They can’t function without you, you know. I’ll find a way to make it up to you when you get home.”

 

The Driver smiled at his Manager and gave him a big wet kiss on the nose. Then he groaned and got out of the bed to get ready for his day. The Manager stayed in bed, making sure he was out of the way, eager to get his partner out of the house as quickly as possible.

 

He looked at the time as he heard the kettle boil downstairs. His boyfriend had to be at work in twenty minutes, but he still just _had_ to make that damned cup of tea? That man could not survive without his morning tea, and buying one at the station was out of the question, the number of lectures the Manager had been given because of the terrible tea they had at the kiosk were too many to remember.

 

Finally, he heard the door slam shut and he jumped out of bed. He rushed to the bathroom to brush his teeth and get dressed. He had a busy day ahead of him, and not that many hours to do it in.

 

His Driver had been devastated when he found out he had to work on their day off, but he didn’t know that it was the Manager who had made that happen. The Driver’s 40th birthday was only a week and a half away, and if the Manager ever were to throw him that surprise party, it would be today. And he needed to have his Driver out of the house to pull that off. So he had begged his boss to find a shift for him and to pretend that there was absolutely nothing she could do about it. A few of their co-workers were also in on the scheme, and it had taken the Manager weeks of preparation to come up with a story and a plan for the day. Now, he just hoped things would work out how he intended them too. Although he knew his Driver was dead set on making his trains run on time, there were unfortunately too often unforeseen circumstances interfering with this.

 

Well, as long as these circumstances didn’t make him come home earlier than planned, it would be fine. An hour delay, he could handle, to be honest, it would actually be very welcome. He needed all the time he could get.

 

The Manager left the house and hurried to the florist to pick up the roses he had ordered. These were for after the party, but it was best to just set up the bedroom now, so he didn’t have to go back to the house to finish it.

 

He cleared up the mess his partner had left in the kitchen, and packed all the hidden stash in his car. Then he drove to Asda to pick up the last items he needed.

 

An hour later he arrived at the station. He’d gotten an ‘ _all clear_ ’ text from Mark, which meant that his Driver’s train had left the station and was well on its way to wherever. The Manager went to the staff room to start setting up for the big night. The room wasn’t exactly huge, but it was big enough for this. He put the food and the drinks in the fridge, and started decorating.

 

Sarah from the station kiosk would come and help him during her lunch break, but he was alone until then.

 

Everything seemed to run smoothly and according to plan. The Manager rearranged the tables and started putting up the Brio train track Steve from the ticket office had left for him in a bag in the corner. With a battery-driven engine this would make a brilliant sushi train for the night. He finished the track and started putting out the Thomas the Tank Engine paper plates when Sarah joined him.

 

”Everything going well?”

 

”So far,” said the Manager and pointed Sarah in the direction of the bag of decorations. Together they hung balloons and paper garlands all over the room and the Manager thought the room looked absolutely amazing when they had finished.

 

He thanked Sarah for her help as she went back to the kiosk. Now he just had to get the sushi and put out the drinks and everything would be ready.

 

Now he just hoped the guests would get there before his Driver did. Some of them would have to join them later because they had to finish work first, but at least the main core would be there to surprise him.

 

Or so he thought…

 

That was when everything began to fall apart.

 

The Manager had just jumped into his car when the first text arrived.

 

_Great news! Rail closure at Duffield, turn around at Derby. I’ll be home early!_

 

The Manager’s heart seemed to have stopped, frantically he picked up his phone and replied. _How early?_

 

_On our way back now. Probably home in an hour._

 

_At the station? Or home home?_

 

_Home home._

 

”Shit, shit, shit,” the Manager hissed and sent a panicked text to Mark.

 

_He’s on the way back to the station NOW. Can you stall him when he arrives?_

 

_How?_

 

_I don’t know, just please find a way. I’ll message the others._

 

The Manager hastily sent text to all the guest and begged the ones who could make it to get themselves to the station immediately. Picking up the food wouldn’t take that long, but he wasn’t sure he would make it back in time before his Driver arrived.

 

Why is it that every time you’re in a hurry, the world seems to do everything in its power to make you even later? First by making sure that half of the sushi order isn’t ready yet, then to make sure a lorry is blocking your way out of the parking lot, then there’s that car in front of you driving way below the speed limit, and finally finding a free parking spot when you arrive at your destination.

 

Absolutely furious, the Manager finally made it back to the station, ran over to the baggage trolleys, released one of them to put the sushi on, locked his car, and started to make his way towards the station building in a brisk pace.

 

”Please don’t be here already,” he muttered to himself as he entered the building and ran straight into his partner.

 

”Darling! What are you doing here?” The Driver beamed at him. ”Did you come to pick me up?”

 

Mark looked at the Manager with an apologetic look.

 

”Yes, yes, I did,” lied the Manager.

 

”But why are you pushing a trolley full of sushi?”

 

”Er… I was just … er helping Sarah in the kiosk. While I was waiting for you.”

 

”I didn’t know the kiosk sold sushi. And you didn’t have to come. I have my own car, remember.”

 

”Er… I forgot. I was just out running some errands. Ok, I’ll just drop these off and I’ll see you at home, okay?”

 

The Manager started to push the trolley away from his Driver and hoped that Mark had come up with a plan to get him up to the staff room.

 

”Wait,” called the Driver and ran after him. ”I’ll help.”

 

”No, go with Mark, he looked like he needed your help with something.”

 

”He did? He hasn’t said anything.” The Driver took control of the trolley, like he always did when they were out shopping, and started pushing it in the direction of the kiosk.

 

The Manager felt a serious headache coming. Now, what was he going to do?

 

He looked at Mark, who looked just as helpless as he felt. He would just have to improvise and hope for the best. He signaled to Mark to run up to the staff room, they would just have to switch roles for a while. What he would do with the sushi he had no idea. Mark ran off and the Manager followed his Driver towards the kiosk.

 

Predictably, Sarah wasn’t there, as he was sure she was one floor up waiting for him and the sushi there, and neither of them knew the young man behind the counter. It didn’t help that the Driver took control of the sushi delivery and got very annoyed with the young man when he had no idea what he was going on about.

 

”Love, calm down,” said the Manager after the Driver had yelled at the man for refusing to take the sushi. ”I’m sure there’s just a misunderstanding. Let me talk to him! Go and read a magazine or something.”

 

The Driver went over to the magazines and the Manager leaned in and whispered quickly to the young man his dilemma.

 

”So if you can just pretend to accept this trolley of sushi, I will send Sarah down to get it in a few minutes.”

 

The young man reluctantly agreed, and pushed the trolley behind the counter and into the back room.

 

”Thank you so much!” said the Manager. ”We’ll be quick, I promise.”

 

He quickly sent a text to Mark. _Trying to get him up there now. Will have to get the food later. Is everyone there?_

 

But there was no reply before his Driver came up to him. ”All done?”

 

”Yep,” said the Manager. ”It was just a misunderstanding. He will call Sarah.”

 

”Good. Ready to go home?”

 

”Of course,” said the Manager. ”No, wait. I think I’ve forgotten something in the staff room.”

 

”What?”

 

The Manager groaned internally. Why did he ask so many questions? ”Er, just my … jacket. Will you come with me and get it?”

 

”I should probably just find my car. Maybe I can buy dinner on the way. What are you in the mood for today?”

 

”Why can’t you just come with me?” snapped the Manager.

 

”What’s wrong with you today?” asked the Driver. ”You’re acting very odd.”

 

”It’s nothing,” said the Manager. ”And I’ve already bought dinner. That was one of my errands.”

 

Yes, that was very clever answer, wasn’t it?

 

”What did you get?” the Driver asked. ”I really hope it wasn’t sushi.”

 

The Manager laughed nervously. ”Oh, wait, I just remembered I have ice cream in my car! Maybe you could be a darling and run up to the staff room for me?”

 

The Driver sighed. ”Where is your head today? You’re barely making sense. Fine. Where is it?”

 

”It’s probably on the hanger by the door. It’s the brown one.”

 

”The brown one? When did you use the brown one? I haven’t seen you wear that in ages. Why do you need me to get that now?”

 

”What with the damn questions? Can you get it or not?” The Manager shouted, making the Driver gape at him.

 

”Fine!” the Driver finally said. ”I’ll get your bloody jacket.”

 

The Manager sighed. Great, now the Driver was mad at him. But at least he was on the way to the staff room.

 

He texted Mark to let him know what was going on and went to the kiosk to get the sushi trolley. He might as well just take that with him now that he wouldn’t be able to see his Driver’s reaction when he arrived at the party.

 

Slowly he made his way to the lift. The lift arrived and he pushed the trolley inside. He just hoped that the guests was able to give his love the surprise he deserved so that the party wouldn’t be an absolute disaster.

 

When the door opened on the floor above, he was attacked by an ecstatic Driver almost knocking him to the floor. The man threw himself around his neck and snogged the living daylights out of him.

 

”I can’t believe you did that for me!” he said when he finally let go of the Manager.

 

”Surprised?”

 

”Totally!”

 

”It didn’t quite work out, though. Stupid rail closures.”

 

”I don’t care!” said the Driver and grabbed the sushi trolley. ”Now, come on! You have to look at the amazing train!”

 

The Manager laughed and followed his Driver into the room where a grand total of three people were waiting.

 

”Sorry,” Mark whispered as they came in. ”None of the others could make it in time, but Sarah and Rupert did their best to get stuff ready.”

 

”Thanks,” said the Manager. And apparently his Driver didn’t seem to mind, but cheered loudly when they started putting the sushi on top of the Brio train. Every new guest were greeted enthusiastically and he seemed to have the time of his life.

 

The Manager sighed with relief. Maybe the day hadn’t been a total failure after all.


End file.
